Soft tissue removal from bony structures is often required in various surgical procedures. For example, in a discectomy, selected portions of the intervertebral disc must be cleared to create a disc space between adjacent vertebrae. Underlying bony tissue damage incurred with current surgical site preparation instruments and surgical techniques can lead to a host of issues, including excessive or inadequate tissue removal, improper spinal correction, device subsidence, and may even prompt revision surgery. Current disc clearing instruments do not conform to the anatomy and often form undesired grooves or channel in the anatomy. In addition, they also require periodic maintenance to ensure their continued sharpness, and must be cleaned and sterilized after each use.
In addition, soft tissue (such as a disc) selected for removal in orthopedic surgery is often located in a position that is blinded to the surgeon.
US Patent Publication No. 2007-0233130 (Suddaby) discloses tool for preparing vertebral surfaces following a discectomy has a body and a rotary cutting tool mounted at the distal end of a lever which extends through the body. The proximal end of the lever can be squeezed toward the body to force the cutting tool against the vertebral surface facing it, while the tool is rotated by turning a crank supported on the tool body, or by a motor. The cutting tool is preferably a flexible rasp or blade which can conform to and control the convexity of the prepared surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,454,827 (Re. 38,335) (Aust) discloses a surgical instrument includes a handle, a first stem section having a longitudinal axis and extending from the handle, and a tissue engaging member for engaging tissue. A second stem section, connected between the first stem section and the tissue engaging member, has a portion which is bendable and supports the tissue engaging member for movement between a plurality of orientations relative to the axis and to the first stem section. The surgical instrument includes a system for bending the bendable portion of the second stem section to change the orientation of the tissue engaging member relative to the axis and to the first stem section from a first orientation to a second orientation. The bendable portion of the second stem section includes a member for enabling bending movement of the bendable portion to locate the tissue engaging member at the same angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the first stem section at more than one location along the length of the bendable portion. The marketed version of this flexible shaver claims to minimize endplate damage.